The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-09-22
A REAL GYPSY QUEEN.
She Tells Fortunes In a Secluded Spo'
on Coney Island.

SnO Tells fortunes III u SeCluOeU SpO
on Coney Island.
Few of the thousands who daily
journey to Coney island are aware of
the fact that the popular seaside resort
contains within its seagirt limits a real,
live queen. Yet, such is the fact.
Cynthia Gray, whose tent stands in
secluded corner of the West end. just
opposite the Clarendon hotel, is the
queen of a part of the human race
whose origin has puzzled the learned
of all nations; queen of people who
are spread over every land. and of
subjects who own no allegiance. Yet
cruel fate has ordained that Cynthia
was to make living by revealing the
future, and, as there are plenty Of peo-
pie in this world who believe in palm
istry, her income is greater than that
of many of her sister queens in exile.
The travels of queen are usually
accompanied by the firing of cannon
and the beating of drums; and people
turn out by thousands to stare at and
welcome the august potentate. Poor
Cynthia, however, was welcomed to
Coney island by the hoarse cries of the
tintype capper and the jeers of the
hoodlums. Yet the best Romany blood
in England flows in her veins, and in
her husband Sydney's. He is tall,
olive-hued gypsy, and talks English
like an Oxford undergraduate. The
Grays were born in Norfolk, where
their ancestors lived in tents for gen.
erations. Lord Sutfield, whose seat is
in that county, was attracted to the
little gypsy boy while on visit to the
camp, and had him educated in a
Hcrtfordshire college. But the no.
madic instincts which young Sydney
had imbibed with his mothers milk
were too much for him, and he return
ed to the bosom of the wanderers.
Sydney's ancestors, as he himself ac-
knowledges, were horse-stealers, while
he is horse dealer. The wagon in
which the family travel in England is
furnished like Pullman palace car,
and cost $500. "You can give me the
finest house on Fifth avenue" said Mr..
Gray to the reporter, land 1 wouldn't
live in it. This is no afectation but
Gods truth. My greatest sorrow is
that my youngest child was born in a
house. We were unable to get south
last winter, otherwise she would have
been born in tent The child refer
red to is pretty blonde baby-girl, 5
months old, and was born in Brooklyn.
Her hair, strange to say, will become
as black as a ravens wing.
The gypsy queens greatest feat in
palmistry was accomplished seven
years ago on the race-course at Chelms-
ford, Essex, England, when she fore
told Fred Archer's death. The great
english jockey, who was riding his
brother Charles horse at that course,
walked over to the gypsy camp and
asked Cynthia to read his hand. The
queen glanced at his palm. Immediately
dropped his hand, and said: "a sudden
death by your own hand, young gentle
man." Poor Archer laughed consum-
eddy at this, and said: 81 would give a
trifle to come across that swarthy dame
again.
Cynthia's sister. the Princess Kioni,
is the most beautiful gypsy girl in
England. George R. Sims the drama
fist, made her the central figure in his
gypsy drama. "The Romany Rye"
and Sands. the royal academician,
painted her portrait. For two years it
drew all London to the National acad-
envy.
Heron-Alien, the young Englishman
who came over to this country to tell
Americans about palmistry, visited the
Grays in New York and had his hand
read by Cynthia. He said it was an as
tonishing thing. and thought the gypsy
queen the equal of Descarrolles. In Eng
land the Grays, whose gypsy cogno-
men is Palengro, were visited by the
prince of Wales. Lord Lurgan, the
marquis of Harrington, and other Eng
glish noblemen.
There are only fifteen families having
genuine Romany blood in their veins in
England. Not one of the old Romany
can read or write. The language is
handed down from generation to gener-
alton by sound. Their customs are
similar to those of the natives of India.
When Mr. Gray's grandfather died his
grandmother burned his wearing ap-
parel, wagon, horse, and everything
that belonged to him. The gypsies arc
a people supposed by some to be de-
scendnats of Israel. But Mr.. Gray
says that there are not more than thirty
Hebrew words in their language.
Some of the words are of Coptic ant
others of Persian derivation. These
wanderers of mankind are of Hindoo
stance or Suder origin. A real gypsy
has q countenance, eye, mouth, and
quickness of manner strongly indica
tive of Suder origin. This is most no
ticeable in the females. But the
strongest evidence is the great resem.
blance their own language bears tc
the Hindoostanee. Ten out of thirty
words Of the gypsy language are either
pure Hindoostanee or nearly related tx
Il.
Coney island. on account of its prox
unity to the race-tracks, is goot
place for palmists. Jockeys and horse
owners are the best customers of fort
une-tellers.
No two human hands, Mrs. Gray
says, are alike.
It is long after nightfalr before thu
wanderers retire to rest. They sleep a
comfortably and as calmly in their can
vas tent, close to the Atlantio's bleal
shore, and with the stars as their onl.
canopy, as the millionaire does in hi
hrown.atone palace. Br00klup Citizen